Miner&#39;s acetylene lamp



Dec. 28 1926.

' F. R. BELT MINERS rACE'IYLENE LAMP Filed May 64 1925 jgi FJI

Patented Dec. 28, 1926.

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FREI) R. BELT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR ,TO FRED R. BELT COMPANY,F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

MINERS ACETYLENE LAMP.

Application filed May 6, 1925.

Acetylene lamps of this type are usually provided with an upper andlower chamber, the upper chamber being termed the water chamber and thelower being termed the carbide chamber. rllhe carbide chamber is in theform of a cup, which is usually screw threaded to a flange beneath thewater chamber so that it may be readily removed for refilling. rFherefilling is usually not done until the lamp has burned out and then, ofcourse, has to be done in the dark, or in very poor light. The carbideis in a dry lumpy condition and is usually poured into the cup from atin box or bottle untilhthe cup is about half full. Under the conditionsin which the refilling must be done, it usually happens that some of thecarbide gets into the screw threads of the cup. Again when the gas isexhausted from the carbide the residue is a lump mass or a wet sludgedepending upon the amount of water which. has been used in generatingthe gas, this depending again upon the individual who is using the lamp.INhen the cup is emptied of this residue, some of it also gets upon thethreads of the cup and will be `accordingly deposited upon the threadsof the fiange. Ihisrmaterial hardens very quickly and the result is thatthe cup will become stuck to the flange and can only be removed withgreat difficulty resulting often in such damage to the threads that atight joint cannot thereafter be yobtained. All lamps in which the cupshave been secured by screw threads have been subject to the above objecw tions and the results in all cases have been aboutthe same exceptthat in brass lamps the residue further has a corroding effect upon themetal destroying the threads altogether in time.

It is therefore the object of my invention to provide a simple andefficient means whereby the cup of an acetylene lamp may be readilyengaged with or disengaged from the lamp and which will be free from theobjections heretofore incident to the use of a threaded engagementbetween the cup and the lamp.

In the accompanying drawing in which I have shown a selected embodimentof my invention:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a lamp having my invention appliedthereto, a portion of the structure being broken away and shown insection.

Serial No. 28,287.

Fig. 2 is a front lelevation of the lamp shown in Fig. l. A

F ig. 3 is an enlarged sectionon the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now tothe drawings, the upper portion of the lamp whichembodies the water chamber is formed as a die casting l provided with adepending fiange 2 within which is received the flange 3 of the carbidecup t which forms the carbide chamber of the lamp. In formerconstructions these two flanges have been threaded as described aboveand with the resultant disadvantages.

Extending outwardly from the cup is a shoulder 5 to act asa bearing forthe `lower edge of the flange 2, a Asuitable gasket l6 being providedlin a groove in the shoulder to engage the edge of the flange. Securedbetween pairs ofV ears 7 on the wall of the water chamber are dependinglocking clamps 8 bent inwardly attheir lower ends and adapt ed to engageoutstanding lugs 9 on the shoulder 5. These llugs are vpreferably wedgeshaped, as plainly shown in Fig. l, and Iit will be apparent that asimple Vrotation of the cup in respect to the lamp is all that isrnecessary -to either Lfasten or unfasten the cup.

rIhe clamps may be made in a variety of forms, but I have found itadvantageous to make them in the form shown, in which each clamp is aseparate piece including a shank secured between the ears 7 by screws10. The upper ends of the shanks are bent over at l1 to engage theshoulder l2 on the wall of the water chamber formed by the die casting land thus relieve the screw of any strain due to the weight of thecarbide cup. The inwardly bent ends 18 of the shanks are provided withthe convex surfaces 14; contacting with the bottoms of the wedge shapedlugs 9. While I have found that these clamps will operate with a fairamount of satisfaction if this convex surface is omitted, nevertheless,by providing such a surface the area of contact between the lug and theclamp is decreased .so as to avoid sticking.

From the above it will be apparent that I have provided an acetylenelamp in which the carbide cup forming the bottom of the lamp may bereadily applied to and de tached from the lamp with a minimum of effort.When attaching the cup to the lamp all that is necessary is to bringtogether the l possibly be avoided.

flange 2 and shoulder 5, it being noted that the lower edge of theliange 2 contacts throughout with the gasket upon the shoulder. fitterbeing brought into this position a simple rotative movement oil the cupWill bring the lugs 9 into engagement with the clamps 8 and the partswill be securely held together. lll/*hen it is desired to detach thecup, it is evident that this may be quickly etlected Without any ol' thetrouble necessary in separating parts Which are threaded together. lnboth attaching and detaching a rotative movement of the shoulder of thecup While held in engagement With the flange is all that is necessary,this rotation being in this instance substantially less than 1800, Whileto .secure the same parts together by threaded engagement would rcquireat least substantially tivo revolutions ot' one part in respect to theother, and, as pointed out above, the conditions under which theoperation has to be periormed are such as to make it desirable to avoidevery movement and complication Which can rlhe clamps effectively securethe parts together and yet because ot the convex surface lll sticking isavoided, the liability of sticking being obviously increased due to thetact that the Wet sludge is apt to get in between the clamps and thelugs. Moreover, the clamps are easily and eliiciently made and securedto the lamp Without any strain being placed upon the fastening means.

I am aware that changes in the form, construction and arrangement ofparte may be made Without departing from the spirit and Withoutsacrilicing the advantages of the invention and l reserve the right tomake all such changes as fairly tall within the .scope oit thet'olloiving claims.

l claim:

l. il lamp conuyrising a pair o'l` chambers and means for ldetachablyconnecting the chambers including a shoulder upon one of the chambers,spaced ears upon the shoulder, a clamp member having a shank lyingbetween and engaged by the ears, a fastening securing the shank to theshoulder, said shank having at one end a lateral offset por- V tionacross the shoulder and also provided at its opposite 'end With anona'set cam portion., and a shoulder on the other chamber with which thecam portion engages.

2. il mincrs amp comprising a Water chamber having depending clamps, anda carbide cup having Wedgedshaped lugs cooperatii g with .said clamps tohold said cir, in posV ion, said clamps and lugs being brougl'it. intoand out ot engagement by t ie rotative n'iovement of said cup in respectto the rest ot said lamp, said clamps being provided with convexsurfaces engaging with said lugs.

:3. A miners lamp comprising tivo elements, a Water chamber and acarbide cup separable therefrom, one ot said elements having a pluralityol`i clamps and the other et said elements having wedge shapedco-operating with said clamps tc hold .said elen'ients together, saidclamps being provided With convex surfaces engaging with said lugs.

FRED R. BELT.

